July 16, 2025 • 37 mins
What happens when every dream you've had shatters before your eyes? Gina Economopoulos never imagined her life's path would lead from bartending to twelve years in a convent, then to finding her fiancé dead a month before their wedding day. Yet through these devastating losses, something remarkable emerged.
Gina's raw, honest conversation reveals the soul-crushing moments when faith seems impossible. "When my mother died, I literally died," she shares, describing the spiritual void that launched her search for meaning. Her subsequent journey through religious life, rejection, grief, and ultimately alcoholism paints a portrait of a woman continually forced to "shake the dust off her feet and walk" – a biblical inspiration that later became the title of her memoir.
The turning point came unexpectedly in an AA meeting, where Gina discovered her own alcoholism while seeking to understand her late fiancé's struggles. This revelation began her road to recovery and a transformed relationship with faith. "God did for me what I couldn't do for myself," she reflects, describing the gradual rebuilding of trust in divine purpose despite her suffering.
Today, Gina channels her experiences as an end-of-life doula, bringing comfort and dignity to those in their final days. Her work embodies the full-circle nature of her journey – from questioning God at her mother's deathbed to now helping others transition peacefully, regardless of their beliefs.
Gina's story offers profound hope for anyone facing seemingly insurmountable challenges. Her message isn't about avoiding pain but finding purpose through it: "You're not alone. Do not give up." Connect with Gina through her website GinaEcon.com or find her book "Shake the Dust Off Your Feet and Walk" on Amazon.
www.GinaEcon.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello everyone, thanks again for joining me on
another episode of the Dorsuosshow.
Today we have a special guestwith us.
Her name is Gina in Campiopolis.
She was born in Syracuse, newYork, to a strong Italian and
Greek loving family.
(00:21):
She graduated from EasternConnecticut State University and
bartended before embarking on a12-year convent journey after
her mother's passing, settled onthe Jersey Shore, gina now
works as an end-of-life doula,extending a compassionate heart
(00:46):
to those in their final chapter.
She found solace and sobrietyas a proud Alcoholics Anonymous
member, and her story ofresilience through tragedy and
faith inspires others to facelife challenges.
Gina, thank you so much forcoming on the show today, well
(01:09):
thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
It's a joy and a pleasure to be with you today.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Absolutely Well.
I'd like to open up with someicebreaker questions, and
today's icebreaker question isdid you, what did you want to be
when you were a kid, and why?
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Okay, when I was a kid, I wanted to grow up and get
married at the age of 18, havefive kids.
By that time I turned 25.
I just wanted to be a house mom, a house mom and a wife,
because, just from growing up ina large family and seeing my
parents, the love they have, andthat's what I wanted to do.
(01:52):
So Did that happen?
Oh, of course not.
You know what they say.
Yeah, that was not.
I did not realize that was notin my plan or in God's plan for
me.
I should say I thought it wasmy plan because that's what I
wanted, like every little girl,right, I was not very ambitious
(02:13):
to go and work, I just wanted tohave a large family.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
What would you like to speak about today on the show
?
Is there anything specific thatyou want to talk about?
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Really nothing specific.
Well, I guess you know givingthe message of hope and strength
, and because in my life I'vebeen through a lot of like we
all have right, we all have astory to tell.
Like we all have right, we allhave a story to tell and I guess
to share in my story is thathow I never gave up Perseverance
(02:54):
, just kept moving forward andthen, in the long run, it took a
while for me in hindsight tosay, wow, God was with me every
step of the way, whether Irealized it or not, God was with
me every step of the way,whether I realized it or not,
which, most of the time when Iwas in that pain and suffering,
transition time of that darkness, you know where is God?
(03:15):
Who is God?
So my journey was like notknowing God, knowing God, not
liking him and now loving him.
So whatever you'd like me toshare, I'd be more than happy to
share.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Well, you just mentioned your story.
Can you share with us a littlebit about your story, to myself
and to my audience?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yes, I can.
As you had shared, I was bornon Long Island.
Like I said, I was from one ofeight kids, the seventh child, a
great childhood, unconditionallove for my parents, went to
college, got a four-year degreeand, of course, I was raised
Catholic.
I received all my sacraments,but yet, once I went to college,
(04:02):
I didn't need God, I didn'tneed the church, not that I
didn't believe.
I just was one of those.
To be honest with you, I wassearching for love and
acceptance in all the wrongplaces.
I wasn't really comfortable inmy own skin.
To be honest, I didn't likemyself.
In hindsight, I was insecure.
So you know, as a child growingup being insecure, yes, I got
(04:28):
the love from my parents, whichI know it was God, now God's
love, but yet I was justsearching for the material
things, for the, you know, forother things, like I said, in
all the wrong places.
So so I went through college, Igot a degree in social work and
, as well as I became a greatpool shark, and so that was like
(04:48):
my, yes, my two degrees, and atthat point my life was like, oh
, I wanted to have fun in life,just have fun.
And so I went to go live withmy family.
My parents moved from LongIsland, pennsylvania, harrisburg
, the capital, over there, andso I went to go live with them
and I had to get a job.
And so I got a bartending jobbecause it was social work.
(05:12):
It was in that scene that Ifelt very comfortable in.
Like, everybody knew me, I havea personality plus, so I was
able to talk to everyone.
But as a bartender it's like,like I said, like a social
worker, they come in, share yourproblems and then you kind of
like, oh yeah, yeah, yeah,whatever.
Then you take their money andyou let them go.
(05:35):
You don't have to deal withpaperwork, you don't have to
deal with the government, whichI, to be honest with you, I was
not a, I'm not good in paperworkor government, or I barely
graduated from college, but yet,you know, god had carried me
through all that.
And then, as I'm bartending now, I have a new goal in life, and
(05:57):
my new goal is that I'm goingto be working the hospitality
field, you know, work on acruise line, the love boat, like
a cruise director, yes, andbecause I guess I was looking
for the easy way, life, you know, just to have fun, and so I did
.
I applied to cruise lines andbut during that time my mother
(06:21):
was diagnosed with cancer, withbone cancer, and she was given
four to six months to liveterminally ill.
And this was back in 1991.
And it just so happens that Iwas home.
I was home when she had thisdiagnosis.
All of my other seven siblingswere on their own, like whether
(06:42):
they were married.
My younger brother went off tocollege, so I wasn't going to
leave my father with my mom inthis condition, so I stayed.
It wasn't a hard choice.
I just because the love I havefor my parents and I did and I
stayed and I took care of my momwith my dad and that's where
(07:03):
prayer came back into my life,that's where going back to
church and that's where I wasbargaining with God.
If I pray this, heal my mom.
If I pray this, heal my mom.
But ultimately, like I said,she had bone cancer.
So she died in five months andI was 23 years old and when she
died I literally died.
(07:26):
I didn't have any faith, Ididn't have any hope, I didn't
have any love and I didn't haveany God in my life like a
relationship.
I knew who God was, but not ina relationship.
So I did searching because atthe wake, everyone kept saying
she's with God, she's with God.
And I was like, who is this Godperson?
(07:47):
And why did he take my mom?
So I went back into the churchto say, hey, you know, god, I
don't want to talk to you, but Iwant to talk to my mom.
And so, as time went on, as Icontinued to go into the church
and praying and I do believe mymother prayed for me too as well
that I had a spirituallightning.
I felt like St Paul conversion,like wow, there is Jesus,
(08:11):
there's the resurrection.
And then I was like, yeah, Igot it, Something that I should
have gotten at Easter time.
Here I got at my mom's deathand I'm flying high in this
conversion, one would say.
So what did I do?
I go join the nunnery.
I became a Catholic nun.
So I was a Catholic nun for 12years in the South Bronx.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Oh, wow.
How does your faith shape yourhealing journey through personal
traumas?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Well, like I said, my faith.
At first I didn't really have afaith and then, as with the
situation with my mom's deathand with the searching and
becoming a sister, of course Ihad faith.
You know, at that moment I wasfaithful.
You know I had faith, knowingthat, okay, this is my life.
Once again, when I enter, I gothis is my life, I'm going to
(09:08):
spend and dedicate my whole lifeto God and the church and to
this community.
But yet, 12 years later, I gotkicked out.
So it was like, okay, you know,there goes that dream or goal
or whatever.
Now I'm in my 40s and I endureda lot of hardship during the
convent days, my religious life.
(09:30):
I mean, like I said the lastwords, they said to me that you
don't belong here anymore.
And so why was that?
Well, you know, in hindsight Ilook back.
First of all, I don't think myfaith was matured because I
endured a lot and if I was theperson I am today, back then I
(09:53):
wouldn't have put up withanything.
And the way I looked at it isthat the sisters we just clashed
, we just like, they had onespirit, I had another spirit.
They were trying to confine meinto their spirit which was like
strapped, and meanwhile, bynature, I'm a free spirit,
loving person, and they weretrying to change me and I didn't
(10:14):
realize it and I was goingagainst the grain.
And I stayed because I was infinal vows.
I stayed because I was in amarriage.
I stayed because in my sixth,seventh year of religious life,
I kept questioning myself do Ireally belong here?
Because I'm not happy.
This is going on, this is goingon, but yet I stayed.
(10:35):
I persevered because I marriedGod.
You know, god called me to thisvocation and then, going
through, I was sent away.
I went for therapy.
The sisters just didn't knowwhat to do with me and then, at
the end, they had the strengthenough to say, hey, this is not
for you, this life is not foryou.
(10:56):
And I'm like, I mean, for 12years, you know, I put my blood,
sweat and tears.
I go what's going on here?
So I did, I left.
I mean, in hindsight it was theworst day, but then it became
my best day because I wasn'tmeant to be there.
I mean, god fulfilled onevocation, giving my life to him,
(11:17):
and I had great blessings thereand great trauma, but yet at
the same time, you know, godkept, you know, saying okay, I
have another plan for you,another door to open, another
door.
And at that time, when youasked about my faith, I just
kept moving along.
Okay, god, okay, god, you know,okay, you're God, I married you
.
I don't understand what's goingon.
(11:38):
I don't understand whyreligious people hurt me.
I don't understand all this,but I'm just going to keep
moving forward.
So from there, after the convent, I went to go live with men and
women with disabilities, andthey were autism and Down
syndrome, and so they wereadults, and so I was their house
mother syndrome, and so theywere adults, and so I was their
(11:58):
house mother.
I stayed with them and Iexperienced a lot of love from
them.
It was like a transition time.
I couldn't come back into theworld.
I mean, I was like what's theworld?
I mean I lived an austere life.
I slept on the floor, I didn'thave couches, a lot of things, I
didn't have material things.
(12:19):
So I, when I lived with the menand women with disabilities, I
was loved.
It was a transition.
I was learning to come back tolife, to live in the life in the
world, and I did that for twoyears and then, as my faith was
still there.
You know, I still had thisrelationship with God.
You know I'm still questioningwhat's going going on, what do
(12:42):
you want in my life?
But I kept moving forward.
I was very broken when I leftthe convent, so I needed a lot
of healing.
There was a lot of anger,unforgiveness within moving
forward, moving forward.
And then I decided to do whatGina wanted to do, because I
(13:04):
felt like I was doing whateverybody else wanted to do in
my life, that I came to theJersey Shore because I love the
beach.
The beach is where heaven andearth meets Came here, found I
didn't.
I learned how to rent anapartment I'm like now in my 40s
and then I had to get a job.
Right, gina had to get a joband what does she know how to do
(13:27):
?
She knows how to bartend.
So I went back to bartending andat this point I mean, I wasn't
really angry with God.
I was still with God.
I was still practicing my faithat the time, going to church,
bartending, and I said, okay,god, what's my next path?
What do you want of me?
(13:48):
And then, bartending, I met aguy because at this point I
realized that I'm not going tobe a religious sister anymore,
that I will meet a guy.
So I met this guy named Danny,great guy.
I said, ok, god, this is itright.
(14:08):
Another plan in my life,another goal that him and I, you
know, be together, live inTimbuktu, whatever, have a house
.
Always wanted a house.
Maybe not kids, because I'm inmy 40s now I won't have those
five kids that I wanted yearsago, but I'll have a man in my
life to be with.
(14:30):
Well, it turns out that he wasan alcoholic and I didn't
realize that, and he wasdrinking at the time and, to
make a real long story short, hewas fighting his own demons and
he did.
He found sobriety, which is,you know, he was a great man,
simply sick and he was one dayat a time finding sobriety.
(14:51):
He found it out West.
And then we had another planI'm going to move out West with
him and we're going to, you know, support his sobriety.
I was going to Al-Anon, whichis a 12-step probe, but yet, as
he was traveling, he has a storyhimself that he ultimately got
(15:12):
into a tragic car accident andhe burned up.
His mother was with him,driving because they were going
to end up at West, but I wasn'tin the car at the time because I
was working.
The mother died, he burned upand we ended up in Indianapolis,
indiana.
So I'm like, okay, and hesurvived the fire.
(15:35):
It was a car accident, he wason fire and everything is like,
okay, god, you survived, he'snot going to drink, everything
will be fine.
Well, what does an alcoholic dowhen they're in pain?
You know, in trauma, they drink.
So he picked up, he starteddrinking again.
Then, ultimately, I ended upfinding him dead a few months
later, and so that was mydarkest point, my ending point.
(16:00):
Like at this point I kept okay,god, I believe, okay God,
everything's going.
And then when I found Dannydead a month before wedding day,
I was like what's my purpose?
Is my purpose to suffer?
It's like I felt like Gina,like, as you heard, I had all
these dreams, these goals, andnothing was fulfilled.
(16:21):
And then, at this point, whenDanny died, I was like I give up
, I give up, I'm done, I'm done.
I have to be honest, not that Ididn't believe in God, I just
didn't like him.
I did not like him.
I was like I hated him becauseof what he did.
(16:44):
I was like I can't believe, Iblamed him with my whole life.
I'm like here I'm being a goodperson, everyone loves me, and
here, you know, the sistersreject me, and then I find a man
and then you take him away, andso I you know this all happened
in Indiana when he died and Iwas with him, and so I came back
to Jersey.
It was, I was just simplyexisting.
(17:05):
I was just like in such a darkplace, saying, okay, give it to
Gina, she'll suffer.
It was like no hope.
I didn't have any hope.
I didn't have any love, Ididn't have any faith and I just
to me, that's the existence ofhell when you're in that kind of
state of mind and being.
But then yet God did for me whatI couldn't do for myself, that
(17:30):
he carried me.
And once again I was searching,searching for the meaning why
Danny died, being an alcoholicand other people are sober.
So that's what brought me intothe rooms of AA, just listening,
and then, a long story short, Icome to realize, wow, I'm an
alcoholic.
So it was like and that's whereGod, you know, that's where God
(17:54):
did for me what I couldn't dofor myself, and that's where I
developed a real deep spiritualrelationship not a religion part
or spiritual with God.
And then in that it's like, wow, I've, you know, god willing,
in April I'll have 10 years ofsobriety.
So, yeah, so at the same time,you know God I mean in the rooms
(18:18):
we call it higher power and Ihad to relearn about God.
I had to relearn about higherpower because I was, because I
know who God was and I know whoGod is because I married him.
But then I also know whathappened to me and I was like
this can't be God, why is hedoing this to me and so I just
had to relearn and the Rooms ofAA brought me a new relationship
(18:42):
with God, a new life where I amfree.
So today I'm a sober, faithfulwoman of God.
That my faith has grown.
And now, just recently, in thelast few years, I started adding
the scriptures, I startedadding the church and everything
(19:02):
like that to to help me grow inwho I am today a child of God,
a sober woman, a faith of God,and now I just love God because
of what he's done in my life.
And that's where I share thisand I wrote my book, my memoir,
last summer to spread the wordthat it's called Shake the Dust
(19:24):
Off your Feet and Walk.
It's a scripture verse which isexactly what happened in my
whole life Kept shaking the dustand kept walking.
And today I still do.
Today I still do.
So that question of my faith,you know, today is a lot
stronger and now I know I couldhandle life on life's terms,
whatever comes my way.
You know, with God and for himand with the tools of the
(19:49):
program and just, and alsoseeing where I was and where I
am today, I'm a much betterplace.
I'm in the light today.
So what?
Speaker 1 (19:57):
what do you think kept you?
I mean, obviously you said itmultiple times that you knew
that God was there and that he,you know, helped you to go
through everything, that God wasthere and that he helped you go
through everything.
But yet there were times inyour life when you said where is
God?
(20:18):
I don't trust God and whatnot.
What made you not walk awayfrom that relationship or from
that meaning that with God?
What kept you from not walkingaway and saying you know, forget
it, I quit, you know.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Oh, that's a great question because there's not a
perfect answer, I don't know why.
Look back now, because that'swhat moves me today is truly His
grace and His mercy that keptme going.
His love kept me going, withoutme realizing it, and I believe
(20:58):
it's probably many people'sprayers.
I believe I love that scriptureout of the depths of my heart.
I cry out to you, Lord and boy,that was my prayer throughout
that time.
Out of the depths, I cry out toyou.
I cry out to you, Lord and boy.
That was my prayer throughoutthat time.
Out of the depths, I cry out toyou.
I cry out to you, even though Ididn't want to give up or, to
be honest with you, it wasn'tthat I felt like I gave up in a
(21:19):
way like what's the next traumagoing to happen to me?
Bring it on, bring it on, youknow.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
I mean, I really wanted to die, but he was still
there with you, even when yousaid I give up.
You know he was still with youduring those times.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Yes, exactly, I did not know it, of course, because
it was so filled with darkness.
I always this is how I kind ofdescribe my life is that
throughout my life, as I said, Iwas searching, I was insecure
and, as situations happen, likemy insides, this wall kept
getting built up, this wall,this wall.
(21:59):
And then, by the time Dannydied, my wall was so thick and
so dark.
With inside me, it was like soconcrete and cold and wet.
I was like okay, and that's youknow.
I didn't know how I was goingto get out of it.
I really did not know, or whereI was sort of like confined.
(22:19):
I was like okay, like I said, Iwas like bring it on, my
purpose is to suffer.
I would never kill myself, butI did pray to die.
I prayed, like you know, god,please don't let me wake up
tomorrow morning.
And here I am.
I woke up tomorrow morning.
What do I do?
Okay, push myself.
I did get a job, but I didn'tsmile for about a year or two
(22:40):
after Danny's death.
I didn't want to smile.
I didn't want, I didn't.
I see everyone else having agood life and I'm like that's
not going to happen to me.
And, as I said, you know, goddid for me what I couldn't do
for myself.
When he brought me into therooms of AA and when I realized
that that was kind of like myproblem, like I was running away
from because I should have usedI could have used these rooms
(23:02):
30 years ago with my drinking,but I didn't because I was sort
of like running.
I was.
You know, I was an escapedartist.
I love to escape life.
I built up a false identitySmile over here but meanwhile my
(23:23):
insides would be so painfulthat what am I going to do to
ease that pain?
So I do like today I can say itwas truly God that did for me
what I couldn't do for myselfand I just thank him and I do
believe when I do die on histerms, on his way, I'll see it
all.
Aha, that's why you know,that's why, whatever, maybe I
(23:46):
wouldn't see it.
I mean that's like okay, Idon't want to see because I'm
with you, god, that's it now Imentioned in the introduction,
you know that you're now an endof life.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Doula, can you explain to me and my audience
what exactly that is and how didyou go into that?
You know that life or that?
Speaker 2 (24:10):
Yeah, end of life doula is a.
It's a holistic way of beingwith someone who is dying.
It's non-medical, so it's notlike a nurse.
I don't work for hospice I II'm present to the dying, like
my services.
Whatever they want of me, thefamilies may call me and say I
(24:33):
have so-and-so.
Can you talk to them?
Yes, I go talk to them and itdepends on what they want.
If they want me to just to sitthere and be quiet, I sit there
and be quiet.
If they want me to pray prayMany of them know I was a former
nun, so it brings them comfort.
So, in other words, end of LightDo tries to bring comfort and
(24:53):
peace to the dying, as well asto the families during that
challenging, difficult time.
And the reason why I have apassion for it is that, like I
shared with you when I was withmy mom, I didn't have that
within me.
You know, when she died it waslike where is she going?
(25:15):
What is she doing?
You know what's happening.
And then, when I experiencedthe taste of a resurrection, of
a piece of heaven, I'm like okay, you know why not, why not be
there?
You know, and so, and that grewas a sister.
For some reason it just grew asit was a seed that was planted
when I was a nun, because peoplethat people I knew did not know
(25:39):
would call me and say, hey,sister, could you go visit
so-and-so they're, you know,johnny's brother's cousin?
Whatever they were, you knowthey're not, they're dying or
whatever.
And I'd be like, yeah, I wouldlove to.
And I just love to because forme what an honor is to give
dignity to those who are dying,to give them dignity and respect
(26:00):
.
Some have families, some don't,you know, and all I'm there is
to you know, just whetherthey're open to it.
Some of them are not.
I'll pray or just say you know,it's okay, it's, you know,
god's comfort, whatever faith.
You know I work with all faithdenominations and have whatever
they think I do.
I believe that there's, there'sa peace in heaven.
(26:22):
That's not of this.
You know, that's in anotherworld, that we're all called to
go to embrace Jesus.
That's mine.
Some people may have some otherpeaceful place that they're
going and it's like okay, that'sokay Because you know, I mean
you can have your peace here onearth, right, I mean in
(26:43):
accepting God's plan for us fortoday and you find peace and you
know, accept the cross, likethe sufferings and the pains,
like, yes, yes, I do it for you,god, you know, and that you
could find that peace.
But yet there are many peoplethat may not have that peace,
and so, as an end of life, doula, I offer my services of being
(27:03):
with them as well as being withthe family too.
It all depends, it reallydepends.
There's no one way or right way.
When I am called to go withsomeone, I pray, listen, try to
hear what the Spirit is sayingin my life, what to do, what not
(27:25):
to do, just to bring thatcomfort and peace and knowing
that they're not alone.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Yeah, Do you get to minister to the people or to the
family at all?
Yes, or is that like off?
Speaker 2 (27:40):
I don't know.
It all depends.
I have to test it out.
Yes yes, for instance, last yearI wasn't exactly an end-of-life
doula at first, but I answeredthis, I was able to go on the
role of as an end of life doulaand meanwhile, you know, I had
(28:09):
to be careful because somepeople don't want to hear it,
some people don't, so it's like,oh yeah, and I just share about
my experience.
You know, and usually when theyare at their end and they can't
talk you know that's where theycan't talk I'll whisper in
their ears and I'll be like, youknow, when you meet Jesus, give
(28:30):
a hug to Jesus, give a hug tomy mom, give a hug to my dad, to
Danny.
You're going to have a wholeline and at the same time I pray
for them like I intercede forthem, inviting the angels to
come, heaven to come and open up, you know, to open up that
peace for this person.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
So you mentioned about your book.
You know, Take the Dust Offyour Feet and Walk.
What inspired you to write itand who do you hope it will
reach, will reach.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
Yes, I wrote it because of my personal situation
, like my personal experience inlife.
I started writing it afterDanny died.
I was in such a dark place thatI felt journaling and writing
out my pain.
And as I was writing out thepain of my situation at the time
, the pain of the sisters cameup which I held on to.
(29:25):
I didn't, I didn't, you know,nobody knew, nobody knew.
I wrote that out.
My experience there and then,even in my childhood like, like
I said, I had great family but Ididn't like myself.
There was that pain ofinsecurity wrote all that out
and I wrote that like 10, 11years ago after Danny died, and
that was 180 pages.
I put that aside.
(29:46):
Now I go on my journey.
Like I said, I'm in recovery.
I'm now in a new life and a fewyears ago I was talking to a
friend of mine who likes towrite too and I said, hey, would
you like to read these 180pages?
I really don't.
And when she read it she goesright now, right where you are
today.
So that's what my book and mymemoir is from my journey
through pain and suffering andhow I kept going forward and
(30:11):
forward.
And who I want to reach todayis to people, to give them that
message of hope and strength, isto let them know that you're
not alone.
Do not give up.
I'm not here to take away theirpain.
That's what I've learned.
We all have our own problems ordisabilities or things like
that.
(30:31):
We can't take that away fromthem their own situations, their
own grief.
I'm not there to take it away.
But from reading my story, yeah, just know that you're not
alone, that you're loved, thatsomebody's gone through it, that
there is a God, that there'ssomebody greater than you and me
that has saved us and that iswith us Amen as you continue on
(30:55):
your journey.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
What are your hopes and goals for the future, both
personally and in terms ofhelping others, both personally
and in?
Speaker 2 (31:05):
terms of helping others.
Well, the goal of my book, well, is to touch many others.
I'm also trying to promotemyself as an inspirational
speaker, motivational speaker toshare to people, not to give up
.
This book was really writtenfor me because of continuing
more healing for me and to say,wow, and when you look at
yourself and when you write itout, you're like, not only I'm
(31:29):
continuing to be healed, thenI'm able to help others to be
healed.
So that is my goal is hopingthat my story, my memoir, even
if it's from word of mouth tosay hey, or from someone handing
my book to someone to say yougot this, you got this, and also
(31:52):
for those who are in a goodplace, it's also for those who
aren't a good place becausethey're like, hey, look where I
am today, it's full of gratitude, it just shows how, wow, I'm
grateful for what I have today.
And to spread that gratitude,because a lot of people, as we
know I mean there's so manypeople throughout the world that
(32:14):
are suffering and that needsthat encouragement, that word of
God or something, somethinglike a light that needs that
light.
So I hope it.
My goal is to bring light to thedarkness, light to all, no
matter what, and it doesn't haveto be an alcoholic or anything.
It's for all those suffering,grieving you name it pain that
(32:38):
feels hopeless.
It doesn't matter what yoursituation, but know that there
is, that there is faith and thatthere is a God, a higher power,
someone there that's workingbehind the scenes, and I see
that now and I try to spreadthat to others.
Whether they see it or not, itdoesn't matter, but if they hear
(32:58):
it, seeds were planted for meyears ago.
It's like aha.
Now I understand.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Absolutely and as we know.
You know the Bible and I knowthe verse.
I just don't remember where itis at the moment, but the Bible
tells us that we will havetrials and tribulations in our
lives.
You know, regardless of who weare and regardless of what we go
through, we will have thosetrials and tribulations that we
face.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
And you know, as a Christian, we have the cross to
look to right, Because Jesus hadthe trials and the tribulations
in this life.
He had the ultimate.
And I'm not just saying, asChristians, we turn to pick up
your cross and follow me.
So it's like, but those arehard words to do.
(33:53):
That's really painful, yeah,and I do.
The last thing I'll say is thatI do believe it's truly a grace
from God, like it's God's grace, it's his.
Like St Paul had the conversionon his head, you know, when he
fell off the horse.
That was a graceful moment andI believe graces are out there
for all of us as long as we Imean we try to be open to it.
(34:16):
You know, open and receive andbe honest and willing.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
Where can people buy your book and connect with you
if they would like to connectwith you or get you to speak on
their podcast or come and speakto their group?
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Yes, my book is called Shake the Dust Off your
Feet and Walk you.
It's available on Amazon.
Or you could look at my website, which is GinaEconcom.
My website, which isGinaEconcom GinaEconcom, where
(34:53):
anyone contact me about anyquestion or anything whatever.
I'm here to listen, to pray, tolisten, you know, whatever I'm
here, I'm open to anyone and toreally encourage each one of us.
We're like cheerleaders.
You could do it.
I'm the biggest cheerleaderthere is if you want a
cheerleader on your side.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
Well, gina, thank you so much for coming on the show
today.
We greatly appreciate havingyou.
Thank you so much.
I appreciate it Absolutely.
Well, guys and girls, thank youso much for tuning in Again.
Please go and like and checkout Xena's website and Xena's
book.
And please go and like andcheck out my website as well.
(35:36):
And until next time, hopefully,you are encouraged and inspired
by Xena's story.
God bless, bye-bye.
Hello everyone, thanks again for joining me on
another episode of the Dorsuosshow.
Today we have a special guestwith us.
Her name is Gina in Campiopolis.
She was born in Syracuse, newYork, to a strong Italian and
Greek loving family.
(00:21):
She graduated from EasternConnecticut State University and
bartended before embarking on a12-year convent journey after
her mother's passing, settled onthe Jersey Shore, gina now
works as an end-of-life doula,extending a compassionate heart
(00:46):
to those in their final chapter.
She found solace and sobrietyas a proud Alcoholics Anonymous
member, and her story ofresilience through tragedy and
faith inspires others to facelife challenges.
Gina, thank you so much forcoming on the show today, well
(01:09):
thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
It's a joy and a pleasure to be with you today.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Absolutely Well.
I'd like to open up with someicebreaker questions, and
today's icebreaker question isdid you, what did you want to be
when you were a kid, and why?
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Okay, when I was a kid, I wanted to grow up and get
married at the age of 18, havefive kids.
By that time I turned 25.
I just wanted to be a house mom, a house mom and a wife,
because, just from growing up ina large family and seeing my
parents, the love they have, andthat's what I wanted to do.
(01:52):
So Did that happen?
Oh, of course not.
You know what they say.
Yeah, that was not.
I did not realize that was notin my plan or in God's plan for
me.
I should say I thought it wasmy plan because that's what I
wanted, like every little girl,right, I was not very ambitious
(02:13):
to go and work, I just wanted tohave a large family.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
What would you like to speak about today on the show
?
Is there anything specific thatyou want to talk about?
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Really nothing specific.
Well, I guess you know givingthe message of hope and strength
, and because in my life I'vebeen through a lot of like we
all have right, we all have astory to tell.
Like we all have right, we allhave a story to tell and I guess
to share in my story is thathow I never gave up Perseverance
(02:54):
, just kept moving forward andthen, in the long run, it took a
while for me in hindsight tosay, wow, God was with me every
step of the way, whether Irealized it or not, God was with
me every step of the way,whether I realized it or not,
which, most of the time when Iwas in that pain and suffering,
transition time of that darkness, you know where is God?
(03:15):
Who is God?
So my journey was like notknowing God, knowing God, not
liking him and now loving him.
So whatever you'd like me toshare, I'd be more than happy to
share.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Well, you just mentioned your story.
Can you share with us a littlebit about your story, to myself
and to my audience?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yes, I can.
As you had shared, I was bornon Long Island.
Like I said, I was from one ofeight kids, the seventh child, a
great childhood, unconditionallove for my parents, went to
college, got a four-year degreeand, of course, I was raised
Catholic.
I received all my sacraments,but yet, once I went to college,
(04:02):
I didn't need God, I didn'tneed the church, not that I
didn't believe.
I just was one of those.
To be honest with you, I wassearching for love and
acceptance in all the wrongplaces.
I wasn't really comfortable inmy own skin.
To be honest, I didn't likemyself.
In hindsight, I was insecure.
So you know, as a child growingup being insecure, yes, I got
(04:28):
the love from my parents, whichI know it was God, now God's
love, but yet I was justsearching for the material
things, for the, you know, forother things, like I said, in
all the wrong places.
So so I went through college, Igot a degree in social work and
, as well as I became a greatpool shark, and so that was like
(04:48):
my, yes, my two degrees, and atthat point my life was like, oh
, I wanted to have fun in life,just have fun.
And so I went to go live withmy family.
My parents moved from LongIsland, pennsylvania, harrisburg
, the capital, over there, andso I went to go live with them
and I had to get a job.
And so I got a bartending jobbecause it was social work.
(05:12):
It was in that scene that Ifelt very comfortable in.
Like, everybody knew me, I havea personality plus, so I was
able to talk to everyone.
But as a bartender it's like,like I said, like a social
worker, they come in, share yourproblems and then you kind of
like, oh yeah, yeah, yeah,whatever.
Then you take their money andyou let them go.
(05:35):
You don't have to deal withpaperwork, you don't have to
deal with the government, whichI, to be honest with you, I was
not a, I'm not good in paperworkor government, or I barely
graduated from college, but yet,you know, god had carried me
through all that.
And then, as I'm bartending now, I have a new goal in life, and
(05:57):
my new goal is that I'm goingto be working the hospitality
field, you know, work on acruise line, the love boat, like
a cruise director, yes, andbecause I guess I was looking
for the easy way, life, you know, just to have fun, and so I did
.
I applied to cruise lines andbut during that time my mother
(06:21):
was diagnosed with cancer, withbone cancer, and she was given
four to six months to liveterminally ill.
And this was back in 1991.
And it just so happens that Iwas home.
I was home when she had thisdiagnosis.
All of my other seven siblingswere on their own, like whether
(06:42):
they were married.
My younger brother went off tocollege, so I wasn't going to
leave my father with my mom inthis condition, so I stayed.
It wasn't a hard choice.
I just because the love I havefor my parents and I did and I
stayed and I took care of my momwith my dad and that's where
(07:03):
prayer came back into my life,that's where going back to
church and that's where I wasbargaining with God.
If I pray this, heal my mom.
If I pray this, heal my mom.
But ultimately, like I said,she had bone cancer.
So she died in five months andI was 23 years old and when she
died I literally died.
(07:26):
I didn't have any faith, Ididn't have any hope, I didn't
have any love and I didn't haveany God in my life like a
relationship.
I knew who God was, but not ina relationship.
So I did searching because atthe wake, everyone kept saying
she's with God, she's with God.
And I was like, who is this Godperson?
(07:47):
And why did he take my mom?
So I went back into the churchto say, hey, you know, god, I
don't want to talk to you, but Iwant to talk to my mom.
And so, as time went on, as Icontinued to go into the church
and praying and I do believe mymother prayed for me too as well
that I had a spirituallightning.
I felt like St Paul conversion,like wow, there is Jesus,
(08:11):
there's the resurrection.
And then I was like, yeah, Igot it, Something that I should
have gotten at Easter time.
Here I got at my mom's deathand I'm flying high in this
conversion, one would say.
So what did I do?
I go join the nunnery.
I became a Catholic nun.
So I was a Catholic nun for 12years in the South Bronx.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Oh, wow.
How does your faith shape yourhealing journey through personal
traumas?
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Well, like I said, my faith.
At first I didn't really have afaith and then, as with the
situation with my mom's deathand with the searching and
becoming a sister, of course Ihad faith.
You know, at that moment I wasfaithful.
You know I had faith, knowingthat, okay, this is my life.
Once again, when I enter, I gothis is my life, I'm going to
(09:08):
spend and dedicate my whole lifeto God and the church and to
this community.
But yet, 12 years later, I gotkicked out.
So it was like, okay, you know,there goes that dream or goal
or whatever.
Now I'm in my 40s and I endureda lot of hardship during the
convent days, my religious life.
(09:30):
I mean, like I said the lastwords, they said to me that you
don't belong here anymore.
And so why was that?
Well, you know, in hindsight Ilook back.
First of all, I don't think myfaith was matured because I
endured a lot and if I was theperson I am today, back then I
(09:53):
wouldn't have put up withanything.
And the way I looked at it isthat the sisters we just clashed
, we just like, they had onespirit, I had another spirit.
They were trying to confine meinto their spirit which was like
strapped, and meanwhile, bynature, I'm a free spirit,
loving person, and they weretrying to change me and I didn't
(10:14):
realize it and I was goingagainst the grain.
And I stayed because I was infinal vows.
I stayed because I was in amarriage.
I stayed because in my sixth,seventh year of religious life,
I kept questioning myself do Ireally belong here?
Because I'm not happy.
This is going on, this is goingon, but yet I stayed.
(10:35):
I persevered because I marriedGod.
You know, god called me to thisvocation and then, going
through, I was sent away.
I went for therapy.
The sisters just didn't knowwhat to do with me and then, at
the end, they had the strengthenough to say, hey, this is not
for you, this life is not foryou.
(10:56):
And I'm like, I mean, for 12years, you know, I put my blood,
sweat and tears.
I go what's going on here?
So I did, I left.
I mean, in hindsight it was theworst day, but then it became
my best day because I wasn'tmeant to be there.
I mean, god fulfilled onevocation, giving my life to him,
(11:17):
and I had great blessings thereand great trauma, but yet at
the same time, you know, godkept, you know, saying okay, I
have another plan for you,another door to open, another
door.
And at that time, when youasked about my faith, I just
kept moving along.
Okay, god, okay, god, you know,okay, you're God, I married you
.
I don't understand what's goingon.
(11:38):
I don't understand whyreligious people hurt me.
I don't understand all this,but I'm just going to keep
moving forward.
So from there, after the convent, I went to go live with men and
women with disabilities, andthey were autism and Down
syndrome, and so they wereadults, and so I was their house
mother syndrome, and so theywere adults, and so I was their
(11:58):
house mother.
I stayed with them and Iexperienced a lot of love from
them.
It was like a transition time.
I couldn't come back into theworld.
I mean, I was like what's theworld?
I mean I lived an austere life.
I slept on the floor, I didn'thave couches, a lot of things, I
didn't have material things.
(12:19):
So I, when I lived with the menand women with disabilities, I
was loved.
It was a transition.
I was learning to come back tolife, to live in the life in the
world, and I did that for twoyears and then, as my faith was
still there.
You know, I still had thisrelationship with God.
You know I'm still questioningwhat's going going on, what do
(12:42):
you want in my life?
But I kept moving forward.
I was very broken when I leftthe convent, so I needed a lot
of healing.
There was a lot of anger,unforgiveness within moving
forward, moving forward.
And then I decided to do whatGina wanted to do, because I
(13:04):
felt like I was doing whateverybody else wanted to do in
my life, that I came to theJersey Shore because I love the
beach.
The beach is where heaven andearth meets Came here, found I
didn't.
I learned how to rent anapartment I'm like now in my 40s
and then I had to get a job.
Right, gina had to get a joband what does she know how to do
(13:27):
?
She knows how to bartend.
So I went back to bartending andat this point I mean, I wasn't
really angry with God.
I was still with God.
I was still practicing my faithat the time, going to church,
bartending, and I said, okay,god, what's my next path?
What do you want of me?
(13:48):
And then, bartending, I met aguy because at this point I
realized that I'm not going tobe a religious sister anymore,
that I will meet a guy.
So I met this guy named Danny,great guy.
I said, ok, god, this is itright.
(14:08):
Another plan in my life,another goal that him and I, you
know, be together, live inTimbuktu, whatever, have a house
.
Always wanted a house.
Maybe not kids, because I'm inmy 40s now I won't have those
five kids that I wanted yearsago, but I'll have a man in my
life to be with.
(14:30):
Well, it turns out that he wasan alcoholic and I didn't
realize that, and he wasdrinking at the time and, to
make a real long story short, hewas fighting his own demons and
he did.
He found sobriety, which is,you know, he was a great man,
simply sick and he was one dayat a time finding sobriety.
(14:51):
He found it out West.
And then we had another planI'm going to move out West with
him and we're going to, you know, support his sobriety.
I was going to Al-Anon, whichis a 12-step probe, but yet, as
he was traveling, he has a storyhimself that he ultimately got
(15:12):
into a tragic car accident andhe burned up.
His mother was with him,driving because they were going
to end up at West, but I wasn'tin the car at the time because I
was working.
The mother died, he burned upand we ended up in Indianapolis,
indiana.
So I'm like, okay, and hesurvived the fire.
(15:35):
It was a car accident, he wason fire and everything is like,
okay, god, you survived, he'snot going to drink, everything
will be fine.
Well, what does an alcoholic dowhen they're in pain?
You know, in trauma, they drink.
So he picked up, he starteddrinking again.
Then, ultimately, I ended upfinding him dead a few months
later, and so that was mydarkest point, my ending point.
(16:00):
Like at this point I kept okay,god, I believe, okay God,
everything's going.
And then when I found Dannydead a month before wedding day,
I was like what's my purpose?
Is my purpose to suffer?
It's like I felt like Gina,like, as you heard, I had all
these dreams, these goals, andnothing was fulfilled.
(16:21):
And then, at this point, whenDanny died, I was like I give up
, I give up, I'm done, I'm done.
I have to be honest, not that Ididn't believe in God, I just
didn't like him.
I did not like him.
I was like I hated him becauseof what he did.
(16:44):
I was like I can't believe, Iblamed him with my whole life.
I'm like here I'm being a goodperson, everyone loves me, and
here, you know, the sistersreject me, and then I find a man
and then you take him away, andso I you know this all happened
in Indiana when he died and Iwas with him, and so I came back
to Jersey.
It was, I was just simplyexisting.
(17:05):
I was just like in such a darkplace, saying, okay, give it to
Gina, she'll suffer.
It was like no hope.
I didn't have any hope.
I didn't have any love, Ididn't have any faith and I just
to me, that's the existence ofhell when you're in that kind of
state of mind and being.
But then yet God did for me whatI couldn't do for myself, that
(17:30):
he carried me.
And once again I was searching,searching for the meaning why
Danny died, being an alcoholicand other people are sober.
So that's what brought me intothe rooms of AA, just listening,
and then, a long story short, Icome to realize, wow, I'm an
alcoholic.
So it was like and that's whereGod, you know, that's where God
(17:54):
did for me what I couldn't dofor myself, and that's where I
developed a real deep spiritualrelationship not a religion part
or spiritual with God.
And then in that it's like, wow, I've, you know, god willing,
in April I'll have 10 years ofsobriety.
So, yeah, so at the same time,you know God I mean in the rooms
(18:18):
we call it higher power and Ihad to relearn about God.
I had to relearn about higherpower because I was, because I
know who God was and I know whoGod is because I married him.
But then I also know whathappened to me and I was like
this can't be God, why is hedoing this to me and so I just
had to relearn and the Rooms ofAA brought me a new relationship
(18:42):
with God, a new life where I amfree.
So today I'm a sober, faithfulwoman of God.
That my faith has grown.
And now, just recently, in thelast few years, I started adding
the scriptures, I startedadding the church and everything
(19:02):
like that to to help me grow inwho I am today a child of God,
a sober woman, a faith of God,and now I just love God because
of what he's done in my life.
And that's where I share thisand I wrote my book, my memoir,
last summer to spread the wordthat it's called Shake the Dust
(19:24):
Off your Feet and Walk.
It's a scripture verse which isexactly what happened in my
whole life Kept shaking the dustand kept walking.
And today I still do.
Today I still do.
So that question of my faith,you know, today is a lot
stronger and now I know I couldhandle life on life's terms,
whatever comes my way.
You know, with God and for himand with the tools of the
(19:49):
program and just, and alsoseeing where I was and where I
am today, I'm a much betterplace.
I'm in the light today.
So what?
Speaker 1 (19:57):
what do you think kept you?
I mean, obviously you said itmultiple times that you knew
that God was there and that he,you know, helped you to go
through everything, that God wasthere and that he helped you go
through everything.
But yet there were times inyour life when you said where is
God?
(20:18):
I don't trust God and whatnot.
What made you not walk awayfrom that relationship or from
that meaning that with God?
What kept you from not walkingaway and saying you know, forget
it, I quit, you know.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
Oh, that's a great question because there's not a
perfect answer, I don't know why.
Look back now, because that'swhat moves me today is truly His
grace and His mercy that keptme going.
His love kept me going, withoutme realizing it, and I believe
(20:58):
it's probably many people'sprayers.
I believe I love that scriptureout of the depths of my heart.
I cry out to you, Lord and boy,that was my prayer throughout
that time.
Out of the depths, I cry out toyou.
I cry out to you, Lord and boy.
That was my prayer throughoutthat time.
Out of the depths, I cry out toyou.
I cry out to you, even though Ididn't want to give up or, to
be honest with you, it wasn'tthat I felt like I gave up in a
(21:19):
way like what's the next traumagoing to happen to me?
Bring it on, bring it on, youknow.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
I mean, I really wanted to die, but he was still
there with you, even when yousaid I give up.
You know he was still with youduring those times.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
Yes, exactly, I did not know it, of course, because
it was so filled with darkness.
I always this is how I kind ofdescribe my life is that
throughout my life, as I said, Iwas searching, I was insecure
and, as situations happen, likemy insides, this wall kept
getting built up, this wall,this wall.
(21:59):
And then, by the time Dannydied, my wall was so thick and
so dark.
With inside me, it was like soconcrete and cold and wet.
I was like okay, and that's youknow.
I didn't know how I was goingto get out of it.
I really did not know, or whereI was sort of like confined.
(22:19):
I was like okay, like I said, Iwas like bring it on, my
purpose is to suffer.
I would never kill myself, butI did pray to die.
I prayed, like you know, god,please don't let me wake up
tomorrow morning.
And here I am.
I woke up tomorrow morning.
What do I do?
Okay, push myself.
I did get a job, but I didn'tsmile for about a year or two
(22:40):
after Danny's death.
I didn't want to smile.
I didn't want, I didn't.
I see everyone else having agood life and I'm like that's
not going to happen to me.
And, as I said, you know, goddid for me what I couldn't do
for myself.
When he brought me into therooms of AA and when I realized
that that was kind of like myproblem, like I was running away
from because I should have usedI could have used these rooms
(23:02):
30 years ago with my drinking,but I didn't because I was sort
of like running.
I was.
You know, I was an escapedartist.
I love to escape life.
I built up a false identitySmile over here but meanwhile my
(23:23):
insides would be so painfulthat what am I going to do to
ease that pain?
So I do like today I can say itwas truly God that did for me
what I couldn't do for myselfand I just thank him and I do
believe when I do die on histerms, on his way, I'll see it
all.
Aha, that's why you know,that's why, whatever, maybe I
(23:46):
wouldn't see it.
I mean that's like okay, Idon't want to see because I'm
with you, god, that's it now Imentioned in the introduction,
you know that you're now an endof life.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Doula, can you explain to me and my audience
what exactly that is and how didyou go into that?
You know that life or that?
Speaker 2 (24:10):
Yeah, end of life doula is a.
It's a holistic way of beingwith someone who is dying.
It's non-medical, so it's notlike a nurse.
I don't work for hospice I II'm present to the dying, like
my services.
Whatever they want of me, thefamilies may call me and say I
(24:33):
have so-and-so.
Can you talk to them?
Yes, I go talk to them and itdepends on what they want.
If they want me to just to sitthere and be quiet, I sit there
and be quiet.
If they want me to pray prayMany of them know I was a former
nun, so it brings them comfort.
So, in other words, end of LightDo tries to bring comfort and
(24:53):
peace to the dying, as well asto the families during that
challenging, difficult time.
And the reason why I have apassion for it is that, like I
shared with you when I was withmy mom, I didn't have that
within me.
You know, when she died it waslike where is she going?
(25:15):
What is she doing?
You know what's happening.
And then, when I experiencedthe taste of a resurrection, of
a piece of heaven, I'm like okay, you know why not, why not be
there?
You know, and so, and that grewas a sister.
For some reason it just grew asit was a seed that was planted
when I was a nun, because peoplethat people I knew did not know
(25:39):
would call me and say, hey,sister, could you go visit
so-and-so they're, you know,johnny's brother's cousin?
Whatever they were, you knowthey're not, they're dying or
whatever.
And I'd be like, yeah, I wouldlove to.
And I just love to because forme what an honor is to give
dignity to those who are dying,to give them dignity and respect
(26:00):
.
Some have families, some don't,you know, and all I'm there is
to you know, just whetherthey're open to it.
Some of them are not.
I'll pray or just say you know,it's okay, it's, you know,
god's comfort, whatever faith.
You know I work with all faithdenominations and have whatever
they think I do.
I believe that there's, there'sa peace in heaven.
(26:22):
That's not of this.
You know, that's in anotherworld, that we're all called to
go to embrace Jesus.
That's mine.
Some people may have some otherpeaceful place that they're
going and it's like okay, that'sokay Because you know, I mean
you can have your peace here onearth, right, I mean in
(26:43):
accepting God's plan for us fortoday and you find peace and you
know, accept the cross, likethe sufferings and the pains,
like, yes, yes, I do it for you,god, you know, and that you
could find that peace.
But yet there are many peoplethat may not have that peace,
and so, as an end of life, doula, I offer my services of being
(27:03):
with them as well as being withthe family too.
It all depends, it reallydepends.
There's no one way or right way.
When I am called to go withsomeone, I pray, listen, try to
hear what the Spirit is sayingin my life, what to do, what not
(27:25):
to do, just to bring thatcomfort and peace and knowing
that they're not alone.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Yeah, Do you get to minister to the people or to the
family at all?
Yes, or is that like off?
Speaker 2 (27:40):
I don't know.
It all depends.
I have to test it out.
Yes yes, for instance, last yearI wasn't exactly an end-of-life
doula at first, but I answeredthis, I was able to go on the
role of as an end of life doulaand meanwhile, you know, I had
(28:09):
to be careful because somepeople don't want to hear it,
some people don't, so it's like,oh yeah, and I just share about
my experience.
You know, and usually when theyare at their end and they can't
talk you know that's where theycan't talk I'll whisper in
their ears and I'll be like, youknow, when you meet Jesus, give
(28:30):
a hug to Jesus, give a hug tomy mom, give a hug to my dad, to
Danny.
You're going to have a wholeline and at the same time I pray
for them like I intercede forthem, inviting the angels to
come, heaven to come and open up, you know, to open up that
peace for this person.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
So you mentioned about your book.
You know, Take the Dust Offyour Feet and Walk.
What inspired you to write itand who do you hope it will
reach, will reach.
Speaker 2 (29:03):
Yes, I wrote it because of my personal situation
, like my personal experience inlife.
I started writing it afterDanny died.
I was in such a dark place thatI felt journaling and writing
out my pain.
And as I was writing out thepain of my situation at the time
, the pain of the sisters cameup which I held on to.
(29:25):
I didn't, I didn't, you know,nobody knew, nobody knew.
I wrote that out.
My experience there and then,even in my childhood like, like
I said, I had great family but Ididn't like myself.
There was that pain ofinsecurity wrote all that out
and I wrote that like 10, 11years ago after Danny died, and
that was 180 pages.
I put that aside.
(29:46):
Now I go on my journey.
Like I said, I'm in recovery.
I'm now in a new life and a fewyears ago I was talking to a
friend of mine who likes towrite too and I said, hey, would
you like to read these 180pages?
I really don't.
And when she read it she goesright now, right where you are
today.
So that's what my book and mymemoir is from my journey
through pain and suffering andhow I kept going forward and
(30:11):
forward.
And who I want to reach todayis to people, to give them that
message of hope and strength, isto let them know that you're
not alone.
Do not give up.
I'm not here to take away theirpain.
That's what I've learned.
We all have our own problems ordisabilities or things like
that.
(30:31):
We can't take that away fromthem their own situations, their
own grief.
I'm not there to take it away.
But from reading my story, yeah, just know that you're not
alone, that you're loved, thatsomebody's gone through it, that
there is a God, that there'ssomebody greater than you and me
that has saved us and that iswith us Amen as you continue on
(30:55):
your journey.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
What are your hopes and goals for the future, both
personally and in terms ofhelping others, both personally
and in?
Speaker 2 (31:05):
terms of helping others.
Well, the goal of my book, well, is to touch many others.
I'm also trying to promotemyself as an inspirational
speaker, motivational speaker toshare to people, not to give up
.
This book was really writtenfor me because of continuing
more healing for me and to say,wow, and when you look at
yourself and when you write itout, you're like, not only I'm
(31:29):
continuing to be healed, thenI'm able to help others to be
healed.
So that is my goal is hopingthat my story, my memoir, even
if it's from word of mouth tosay hey, or from someone handing
my book to someone to say yougot this, you got this, and also
(31:52):
for those who are in a goodplace, it's also for those who
aren't a good place becausethey're like, hey, look where I
am today, it's full of gratitude, it just shows how, wow, I'm
grateful for what I have today.
And to spread that gratitude,because a lot of people, as we
know I mean there's so manypeople throughout the world that
(32:14):
are suffering and that needsthat encouragement, that word of
God or something, somethinglike a light that needs that
light.
So I hope it.
My goal is to bring light to thedarkness, light to all, no
matter what, and it doesn't haveto be an alcoholic or anything.
It's for all those suffering,grieving you name it pain that
(32:38):
feels hopeless.
It doesn't matter what yoursituation, but know that there
is, that there is faith and thatthere is a God, a higher power,
someone there that's workingbehind the scenes, and I see
that now and I try to spreadthat to others.
Whether they see it or not, itdoesn't matter, but if they hear
(32:58):
it, seeds were planted for meyears ago.
It's like aha.
Now I understand.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Absolutely and as we know.
You know the Bible and I knowthe verse.
I just don't remember where itis at the moment, but the Bible
tells us that we will havetrials and tribulations in our
lives.
You know, regardless of who weare and regardless of what we go
through, we will have thosetrials and tribulations that we
face.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
And you know, as a Christian, we have the cross to
look to right, Because Jesus hadthe trials and the tribulations
in this life.
He had the ultimate.
And I'm not just saying, asChristians, we turn to pick up
your cross and follow me.
So it's like, but those arehard words to do.
(33:53):
That's really painful, yeah,and I do.
The last thing I'll say is thatI do believe it's truly a grace
from God, like it's God's grace, it's his.
Like St Paul had the conversionon his head, you know, when he
fell off the horse.
That was a graceful moment andI believe graces are out there
for all of us as long as we Imean we try to be open to it.
(34:16):
You know, open and receive andbe honest and willing.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
Where can people buy your book and connect with you
if they would like to connectwith you or get you to speak on
their podcast or come and speakto their group?
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Yes, my book is called Shake the Dust Off your
Feet and Walk you.
It's available on Amazon.
Or you could look at my website, which is GinaEconcom.
My website, which isGinaEconcom GinaEconcom, where
(34:53):
anyone contact me about anyquestion or anything whatever.
I'm here to listen, to pray, tolisten, you know, whatever I'm
here, I'm open to anyone and toreally encourage each one of us.
We're like cheerleaders.
You could do it.
I'm the biggest cheerleaderthere is if you want a
cheerleader on your side.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
Well, gina, thank you so much for coming on the show
today.
We greatly appreciate havingyou.
Thank you so much.
I appreciate it Absolutely.
Well, guys and girls, thank youso much for tuning in Again.
Please go and like and checkout Xena's website and Xena's
book.
And please go and like andcheck out my website as well.
(35:36):
And until next time, hopefully,you are encouraged and inspired
by Xena's story.
God bless, bye-bye.
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